Flood-fence



(No Model.)

J. A. PROOTOR & J. B. MARTIN.

FLOOD FENCE.

Nd. 353,157. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH A. PROGTOB AND JAMES B. MARTIN, OE UNION CITY, INDIANA,

FLOOD-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,157, dated November23, 1886.

Application filed June 12, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JEREMIAH A. PROOTOR and J AMEs B. MARTIN, citizensof the United States, residing at Union City, in the county of Randolphand State of Indiana, haveiuvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vater or Flood Gates; and we do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it a'ppertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in water or flood gates; andit consists in the construction and novel arrangement of devices, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth,and particularly pointed out inthe claim appended.

111 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gateconstructed according to our invention, and Fig. 2 is a view of the gateremoved from the frame. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing thepositions the gate assumes at low water and at flood.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the mud-sill,which is arranged transversely in the bed of a stream. To the oppositeends of this sill are firmly secured in alignment two stout uprights, BB, constituting the main frame for the support of the gate. On theupstream side of the gate, and at a suitable distance above the base ormud-sill on the uprights, are strongly secured at a a the upper ends oftwo vertical chains, 0, the opposite ends of which are secured to thehighest portions of the cylindrical log D, near oppo site ends thereof.

The gate is composed of the transverse log D and the vertical pickets D,secured at their lower ends thereto. The log is annular incross-section, and its ends extend sufficiently to engage the uprightson the upstream side of the gate, and bear against the same when raisedby a flood or the abnormal condition of the water in the stream. It willbe observed Serial No. 204,931. (No model.)

that the log in its normal position is held by the chains a sufficientdistance above the sill to permit an ordinary stream to pass withoutaffecting the operation of the gate or removing it from its verticalposition.

The weight of the log D and the points of attachment of the chains 0 toit should he so adjusted with respect to the pickets D that when thereis no pressure against the latter they will maintain an uprightposition. (Shown in full lines, Figs. 1 and 2.) The points of attachmentof said chains to the log D should therefore be in the same plane as theline of pickets. By thus hanging the log directly from the upstream sideof the posts B the natural tendency of the cylindrical ends of this logis to bear against these posts at all times and to roll up them as thepickets are deflected from an upright position to the position indicatedin broken lines, Fig. 3.

When a flood takes place, the" rise in the stream will first act uponthe log D, causing it to rise and wind thereon the chains 0. \Vhen thesaid log begins to rise in a rolling manner,the pickets will incline,and when the log has exhausted the chains it will be arrested by thefastenings a a, and the pickets will have assumed a horizontal positionand will remain firmly therein out of danger until the flood hassubsided. As the flood subsides the base-log of the gate will unwindfrom the chains and the pickets return to a vertical position.

We are well aware that it is not broadly new in flood-gates composed ofa horizontal log and pickets secured perpendicularly thereto to suspendthe gate by chains depending from a horizontal bar between posts,thelower ends of which chains are secured to the log at points which are ina plane at right angles to the plane of the row of pickets, said logsbeing suspended free from said posts. We are also aware that it is notnew to hinge the base log of a picket floodgate to the upstream sides ofposts, employing the upper ends of the posts or a cross-bar securedthereto as a stop for the gate when in a horizontal position. Suchdevices we disclaim.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JEREMIAH A, PROOTOR. JAMES B. MARTIN.

\Vitnesses as to Jeremiah A. Proctor:

L, D. LAMBERT, Z. T. YOAKES.

Witnesses as to James B. Martin:

EDWA D L. GRAw, J. R. Ross.

